The considered
opinion of a man
with opinions.
Angus "Gus" McLaren doesn't discuss his handicap. He'll dissect the grain pattern in a persimmon head, debate the merits of a blade over a muscle-back, and hold forth at length on shaft torque profiles — but the scorecard stays folded in his pocket. What matters, in Gus's considered view, is arriving with the right equipment.
He came to the game through his grandfather's garage — a modest shed holding hickory shafts, a worn leather bag, and the quiet assumption that quality was non-negotiable. He has read Hogan. He has read Penick. He subscribes to publications that most people have never heard of. He takes fittings seriously and considers off-the-rack a form of aesthetic capitulation.
He is, in the most endearing possible sense, impossible. And his eye for equipment is extraordinary.
What follows are his recommendations — not the popular choice, but the considered one, organised in the only way that makes sense to a man like Gus: Nice. Nicer. Nicest.
The Bag
The bag is the introduction. Before a club is pulled, before a stroke is made, the bag announces intent. Gus considers carry bags a regrettable compromise and has not used one since roughly 2004.
Made by hand in the States. No logo proliferation, no superfluous pockets, no apology for being exactly what it is. A proper cart bag that understands the virtue of restraint.
The kind of bag that commands a second look in the bag room. Thoughtful materials, a clean silhouette, and a certain confidence in not requiring explanation.
A Mackenzie bag is an heirloom in waiting. Canvas, meticulous stitching, brass hardware — the sort of thing passed between generations with a knowing nod and no instruction required.
The Driver
Gus's relationship with the driver is, in his own words, a diplomatic arrangement. He acknowledges its necessity while remaining suspicious of what it represents. He owns one. He has opinions about it.
The TSR3 rewards a proper swing. It is not designed for forgiveness — it is designed for the player who does not require it. Gus approves of this philosophy.
Refined further still. Gus has considered views on the adjustable hosel that he will, given minimal encouragement, share at impressive length.
The correct answer, arrived at by those with sufficient patience to deserve it. Carved wood, earned character, and a sound at impact that no alloy has successfully reproduced.
The Fairway Wood
Where most players reach for the three-wood with minimal deliberation, Gus has spent considerable time — and a not inconsiderable sum — arriving at his considered choice. The result is a club that, in his estimation, communicates.
The Players fairway wood. Lower spin, penetrating flight, for those who have actually earned the right to use it.
Gus was slow to concede this one. He did. The Qi10 is, in his grudging estimation, extraordinary in a way he finds mildly irritating.
Persimmon. Made by hand. Louisville has been doing this since before the cavity back existed and has remained admirably unmoved by the intervening decades.
The Irons
The irons are where Gus becomes truly animated. He can identify the sound of a blade at impact from thirty yards. He once excused himself from a dinner party to re-examine a set of forged Hogan blades. Nobody was surprised.
Boutique forged irons built for those who regard off-the-shelf as a character defect. Artisan does small batches, proper grinds, and doesn't particularly care about market share.
The benchmark. Miura's forgings carry a finish that other manufacturers have been attempting to replicate for thirty years without meaningful success.
Handcrafted to a specification that most manufacturers would consider unreasonable. NCW irons are built for players who have developed, and are prepared to defend, a detailed philosophy about impact.
The Wedges
Gus owns seven wedges. He needs, practically speaking, four. The additional three he describes as insurance against circumstance, and he is not joking.
Bob Vokey has spent his career understanding the short game in a way that borders on devotion. These are the wedges that serious golfers reach for when they are being reasonable.
The same boutique craftsmanship applied to the scoring clubs. Ground to a specification that Gus considers the only defensible option for a man who has thought about it.
Custom ground, custom everything. NCW wedges are for those who have moved beyond the conversation entirely and simply require the correct tool.
The Putter
The putter is, Gus maintains, a deeply personal object. He has owned twenty-three. He is not currently satisfied.
Made in America by people who regard putting as a craft deserving serious attention. Clean lines, honest weighting, no concession to trend.
The tour-only standard. Circle T putters are made for players who don't need to be told what they are — and are not made for those who do.
A Tyson Lamb putter is a commission. He makes them one at a time, by hand, to a specification arrived at through conversation and considered judgment. There is a wait list. Gus is on it.
Affiliate disclosure. Some links on this page are affiliate links — we may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Gus's recommendations are his own and are not influenced by any commercial relationship.